The Social
Forestry Project was started in Jammu & Kashmir as a World Bank aided
Project in 1981-82, initially for a period of five years. The Project was
extended up-to 1990-91. Since then the Project works have continued as an
activity under the State funding, to provide fuel-wood in the shortest
possible time and to provide poles, small timber, fodder fruits and other
minor forest products for basic requirements of the rural poor.

In the year 2001, vide Government Order No : 640-GAD of 2001 dated :
14-06-2001, the organization created under the World Bank assistance, was
decided to be closed down and remained in the process of winding up till
10/2004 with a very low capital component. The Project Director/CCF was the
head of the Organization till then.

The Government vide order No: 481-FST of 2004
dated: 28-10-2004 converted the Social Forestry Project into a full-fledged
Department, headed by a Director of the rank of Addl. Pr. Chief Conservator
of Forests, realizing fully well the need for reviving the Department
enabling it to take up plantations into the degraded forest lands and
wastelands on a massive scale in the following categories of plantations.

1. Raising of
Village Wood Lots

2.
Rehabilitation of Degraded Forests.

3. Raising of
Strip Plantation.

4. Farm
Forestry.

5.
Institutional Plantations.

The main function of Department of Social Forestry is to create nurseries
to produce planting stocks, raise plantations, distribution of plant
material to the people (rural/urban), farmers, Govt. agencies for planting
in their premises/fields with an ultimate goal of Greening the State,
improving the environment, generating the employment and conserving the
natural forests.